8:56:30 AM | 20/10/2008
Vietnam notched up US$1.081 billion from exporting 482,000 tons of tra and basa catfish in the first nine months of 2008, up 52 per cent in value and 77 per cent in volume, according to the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD).
The ministry said the catfish export gained highest growth among seafood export items of Vietnam during the time, accounting for 32.26 per cent of total seafood export revenues.
The MARD said the sharp rise in catfish exports is likely to continue as new markets, notably Russia, the Middle East and some Asia countries, are having growing demands for the commodity.
Russia is now the biggest market of Vietnamese catfish as it spent US$155.6 million on the staple in the first nine months of 2008, a 188 per cent rise over the same period last year. Ukraine ranks second with US$104.7 million and a 255 per cent increase.
To push up exports, local businesses need to agree upon a floor price to avoid unfair competition, while attaching great importance to the safety hygiene, Luong Le Phuong, MARD’s deputy minister said.
Vietnam expected that the catfish export will bring in US$1.5 billion by the year’s end. (Vietnam & World Economy)
Vietnamese
